Protector
by burning the future
Summary: When Blaine agreed to act as the royal protector for the two princes of the Lima kingdom, he never thought that he would fall for one of his charges. Accompanied by his fellow soldiers Wes, David, Jeff and Nick, Blaine must navigate the tricky waters of loving a boy who can never be his and keeping him alive at the same time. Kurt/Blaine, Jeff/Nick, full list of pairings inside.
1. Assignment

**Summary:** when Blaine agreed to act as the royal protector for the two princes of the Lima kingdom, he never thought that he would fall for one of his charges. Accompanied by his fellow soldiers Wes, David, Jeff and Nick, Blaine must navigate the tricky waters of loving a boy who can never be his and keeping him alive at the same time. Features Kurt/Blaine, Jeff/Nick and one-sided Sebastian/Blaine. Also betrothed!Finn/Rachel and betrothed Kurt/Quinn.

**A/N:** this is an AU Klaine fic which will feature boys who are in love with other boys, so if you don't like that kind of stuff, please don't read. But if you DO like that stuff, welcome ^_^ This is part one in what I hope will be a multi-chapter fic. Please R&R!

* * *

**Chapter One: Assignment**

"You've been reassigned."

If Blaine Anderson knew just how much those three small words would change his life, he may have decided to ignore them. He thought wistfully of how different things might have turned out if he had. Instead of sitting astride a very jumpy horse on the way to the royal castle, he could have been sitting around a campfire with his friends, telling stories about battle and the women who had clung to them afterwards. Of course, Blaine wasn't really interested in having any females cling to _him_, but it was always nice to hear the stories. And when it was his turn to tell one, well, he had gotten pretty inventive over the years.

But his creativity when it came to describing the female form was no longer necessary, because Blaine and four of his friends had been plucked from the battle field. It had happened a week ago – a royal guard had approached their camp, his nose wrinkled in distaste at the sight of the disorganised campsite, the men who were in desperate need of a bath after weeks of violence. The Lima Army was at war with the kingdom of Akron and it had been weeks since the soldiers had seen anyone from the castle. Needless to say, they had been surprised.

The guard hadn't stayed long. He lingered just long enough to gather five men – Blaine, Wesley, David, Nicholas and Jeffrey – and informed them that they were no longer required on the battlefield and their permission was requested at the castle. They were given no further information. They had spent their last night at the camp speculating about what their summons meant. Wes was hopeful that they were being knighted. David thought that they might be sent to a different, more dangerous area of the warzone.

Whatever the reason, Blaine was beginning to have serious doubts. The impressive sight of the Hummel castle loomed on the horizon, stone turrets gleaming blackly in the moonlight. Blaine tugged at the reins of his horse and halted, holding up the line of men following him.

"Blaine," Wes said guardedly. "Keep moving. We have to be there by morning."

"I'd rather turn back," Blaine replied, sounding forlorn. "Don't you miss the camp? And Thad and Trent and all of the others?"

"Of course," Wes said sharply. "But we've been given an assignment, from the king's own lips. We're continuing on to the castle." Blaine huffed and started moving again. Wes gave a laugh. "Try not to look so depressed, Blaine. For all we know, we could be back at the camp within days."

But that wasn't the case.

Just as the red light of dawn was beginning to creep across the sky, Blaine and his men reached the castle. They were greeted by a group of armed guards, who marched alongside them and led them into the courtyard, where they were left waiting for several minutes. Blaine was beginning to grow nervous. He sat straight, however, his back carefully arched and his hands at his sides. After what seemed like an eternity, a trumpet sounded.

Blaine stole a quick glance at Wes, who furrowed his brows slightly. The signal was clear. Blaine was to stand his ground. He reminded himself of his basic training and swallowed hard, lifting his head just in time to see two people walk into the courtyard. He sucked in a breath.

It was the king and queen. The new queen, that is – the first one, the mother of the prince, had died from illness some years ago. There had been murmurs throughout the kingdom that the king had spiralled into a depression after his bride's death, unable to deal with ruling alone. Of course, these murmurs were little more than rumours. The king had taken his loss in stride, keeping a strong face to the public and never faltering in his rulings. Now, he had finally remarried – albeit to a commoner who already had a child from a previous relationship. The scandal the marriage had caused was minor, mainly because of the war. Blaine and everyone else knew that if the times had been peaceful, the uproar would have been much, much greater.

The new queen was small and rotund, the opposite of her predecessor. Queen Elizabeth had been a tall, statuesque beauty, with a slender frame, glasz eyes and pale porcelain skin. Queen Carole, on the other hand, was short and stout, with wiry hair and a firm gaze. Her smile was kind, however, and she directed it at the five soldiers with ease. She reached out to grasp her husband's hand as he cleared his throat.

"Men," he began. "Thank you for travelling to our home. I understand that you were given no clues about what awaited you here. The fact that you chose to make the journey anyway is a testament to your loyalty to the kingdom. For that, you will be rewarded."

"Thank you, your Majesty," Blaine murmured in unison with his comrades. King Burt smiled warmly and continued.

"As you know," he said, "I recently remarried." He shared a glance with his wife before continuing. "This new... union has opened my eyes to the dangers that abound in our little kingdom – during both peace times and war times. I have become aware of just how dangerous it is to raise children in this world, and although we have an excellent team of nannies and caretakers in the castle, that simply isn't enough anymore. I asked my guards to find the five best soldiers of the Lima Army."

_The best?_ Blaine echoed internally. He thought of David's frequent mugs of ale, Wes's near-dictatorial leadership, Nick and Jeff's suspiciously close friendship – his own dark thoughts about his fellow soldiers. He wondered if contradicting the king, even in his mind, was considered treachery.

"I want you to take care of our sons," King Burt finished. He glanced at the queen and his lips twitched in a smile. "_My_ sons. I want the five of you to act as their bodyguards, night and day, watching out for them and ensuring that they don't put themselves in danger. You will be paid handsomely for your troubles, of course – ten gold pieces a month, and you will all be knighted. Gentlemen, there is no price I'm not willing to pay to ensure the safety of my family. Do you accept?"

"We do, your Majesty," the men replied in unison, without a moment of thought. Blaine chimed in with them, although perhaps a little too late – the king's eyes flickered towards his and Blaine tried to hold his gaze, but he could feel a red blush creeping over his cheeks. The king left his wife's side and strode over to Blaine's side, looking comically small beside the huge grey stallion Blaine sat astride.

"Do you accept?" the king repeated, his eyes never leaving Blaine's for a second.

"I do, your Majesty," Blaine said. This time, he did not falter.

The king's face broke into a wide smile and he ordered the soldiers to disembark. Their horses were led to the royal stables, while they were led deep into the bowels of the castle, where they would meet their new charges. They were careful to walk at a respectable distance from the king and queen.

They followed the king and queen into a huge chamber, tiled with white and gold, with white wallpaper covering the walls. It looked far too pristine to be a place where children were allowed, but there they were, two boys, sitting in the centre of the room with their backs to the newcomers. The king cleared his throat and the two boys scrambled to their feet, pivoting to greet their parents – and it was then that Blaine saw, with a jolt, that they weren't boys at all. They were practically men. They couldn't have been more than three years younger than him.

The taller of the two was Queen Carole's son, that much was obvious. His face was rough-hewn like hers, his eyes the same shade of brown. He also looked distinctly uncomfortable in the fancy room and he kept pulling and tugging at his clothes, clearly unused to wearing royal garments. Blaine felt a stab of sympathy for the boy.

"This is Prince Finn," King Burt said, gesturing to the uncomfortable boy. "And this is Prince Kurt."

Blaine's eyes drifted to the other boy. He resembled his mother, just as Finn resembled the queen. He had chestnut coloured hair which stood up on his head in a way that seemed to defy gravity. His skin was the same pale white as his mother's, his cheekbones high and sharp like hers. Blaine wondered if it was difficult for King Burt to look at his son, when he looked so much like the woman he had loved.

The only difference that Blaine could see – despite gender, of course – was that while Queen Elizabeth had always been kind and smiling, her son looked angry. His bottom lip was pushed outwards in a sulky pout, his brows knitted together in frustration. Blaine wondered why exactly he was so furious.

He got his answer a moment later, when Kurt fixed his father with a glare and narrowed his eyes.

"I told you I'm not doing this," he snapped. His voice was as clear and high as a bell. "I'm sixteen years old. I don't need a babysitter. I certainly don't need five."

_Sixteen_, Blaine thought. So he was wrong. Kurt, at least, was four years younger than him.

"That's quite enough, Kurt," the king said. "We've discussed this. Your mother and I–"

"She's not my mother!" Kurt interrupted icily. He brushed past his father, bumping into Blaine as he stormed out of the room. An awkward silence hung over the room after Kurt's abrupt exit.

King Burt gave a long suffering sigh and turned to face Blaine and the other soldiers. He glanced over all of them before finally settling on Blaine.

"You," he said.

A little late, Blaine realised what he wanted. "Blaine, your Majesty," he said quickly. "Blaine Anderson."

"Sir Anderson, from now on," King Burt replied. "Follow my son. Make sure he doesn't get into any trouble. As for the rest of you..."

Blaine didn't hear the rest. He was too busy trying to ignore the alarm bells in his head as he went to search for a frustrated runaway prince.

* * *

_Everybody who reviews gets a free Kurt Hummel. He walks, talks and sings. Once in a lifetime offer ;D_


	2. New Beginnings

******Summary:** when Blaine agreed to act as the royal protector for the two princes of the Lima kingdom, he never thought that he would fall for one of his charges. Accompanied by his fellow soldiers Wes, David, Jeff and Nick, Blaine must navigate the tricky waters of loving a boy who can never be his and keeping him alive at the same time. Features Kurt/Blaine, Jeff/Nick and one-sided Sebastian/Blaine. Also betrothed!Finn/Rachel and betrothed!Kurt/Quinn.

**A/N:** first of all I wanna say thanks so much to everybody who's reviewed (your free Kurt Hummel is on its way!) and to everybody who favourited and put Protector on story alert! I'm so glad you like it and I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint. And now for the chapter. Enjoy! Please R&R :)

* * *

**Chapter Two: New Beginnings**

That night, Blaine sat cross-legged on his new bed, listening to his friends talk animatedly about their new job. He didn't join in the discussion – mostly because he wasn't as happy about it as they seemed to be. While they had been given the tour of the castle, bathed within an inch of their lives and been introduced to the rest of the guards and the staff, Blaine had been searching for Kurt.

He had finally found the prince on the archery range. In the time that Blaine had spent searching for him, Kurt had managed to change his entire outfit, collect a bow and arrow and hit at least ten targets. He had not, however, calmed down at all.

Blaine sighed and lay back against his pillows, ignoring David's gushing about the nannies who looked after Finn and Kurt. While the other boys listened closely, Blaine thought back to his encounter with the prince.

_He hung back a little, wary of approaching Kurt while he was so angry. Blaine could tell from the sharp hunch of Kurt's shoulders and the deadly precision with which he shot at the targets that he was still furious about what had happened with his father. Blaine didn't want to surprise him and become an accidental target._

_He decided that declaring himself was the best way forward and cleared his throat, intending to call Kurt's name. But the prince was too fast for him – his ears pricked at the slight sound and he whirled around, pointing his bow and arrow in Blaine's face. Blaine swallowed hard, holding up his hands in surrender._

"_Don't shoot," he said carefully._

_Kurt considered him for a moment, his fingers pulled back tight, arrow poised and ready to shoot. "Why shouldn't I?" he asked, although the hesitation in his voice told Blaine that he wasn't serious. Kurt was angry, yes, but he didn't have it in him to shoot a man in cold blood._

"_I'd just like to talk to you," Blaine tried. Kurt tossed his hair and rolled his eyes._

"_I have plenty of people to talk to," he said. The sarcasm was practically dripping from his voice. "I have a rotating squad of nannies, cooks, servants – you name it, I've got it. And now I have five brand new, bright and shiny babysitters to talk to as well. Aren't I just the luckiest little prince in the whole world?"_

_Blaine frowned. "Why are you so angry?" he said, speaking before he had fully thought his words through. He couldn't help it. The reality of the Hummel prince didn't match up with the one that Blaine had created in his mind. Prince Kurt had always been touted as good and kind, calm and serene, just like his late mother. But this Kurt, the one standing before Blaine in a dark tunic with blazing eyes and a twisted frown, he was nothing like the public thought._

_Kurt's eyes widened and his grip slackened on the bow._

"_What did you just say?" the prince demanded._

"_I – it was nothing – please accept my apologies," Blaine bumbled, bowing his head. It was not his place to question his betters, especially in his first few minutes on the job. When he dared raise his eyes to Kurt's, he saw that the prince had lowered his bow and arrow and was staring at Blaine with a mixture of confusion and wonder._

_Blaine wondered if the young prince was about to open up to him – perhaps Blaine's foolish mistake had been a blessing in disguise. Maybe Kurt would let go of his anger, open up and tell Blaine what was bothering him and why he had been so rude to the king and queen._

_But that was a foolish hope. Instead, Kurt narrowed his eyes and dropped the bow and arrow, brushing off his tunic and striding forwards._

"_I accept your apologies, Mr..." he raised an eyebrow and Blaine hurried to fill the gap._

"_Anderson. Sir Anderson, actually."_

"_... Anderson," Kurt repeated. He started to walk back to the castle, pausing to look over his shoulder at Blaine. "You might want to hold your tongue around my father, Sir Anderson."_

Blaine's face flushed at the memory. Kurt was right. Blaine was incredibly lucky that King Burt hadn't been around when he'd had his little outburst. He would have been thrown out of the castle then and there. Blaine may not have been entirely sold on his new job just yet, but he knew that he wanted to stay where his friends were. And if that meant babysitting a spoiled prince and his stepbrother, well, then so be it.

"Just think," Jeff sighed, breaking Blaine's concentration. "We could be back at the camp site right now. Stinking of blood and sweat... eating questionable meat... sleeping on the cold, hard ground..." He stretched out luxuriously on his bed, sighing with happiness once more.

_I think I'd prefer that,_ Blaine thought sardonically. He just couldn't seem to lose himself in the luxury of the Hummel castle like the others. Maybe it was because he felt distinctly uncomfortable here. Being what he was... well, that was tolerable on a campground in the middle of nowhere. But here in the castle, if they discovered the truth... he would be executed.

But then, Nick and Jeff didn't seem to have that problem, and Blaine knew for a fact that they were like him. He had stumbled upon them in a compromising position a few weeks back – they had sworn him to secrecy, and he had agreed to keep quiet. So if they were able to settle into life at the castle, then why couldn't he?

"It's not all feather pillows and satin sheets, though," Wes pointed out. Blaine's eyes snapped towards him and his heart lifted, wondering if Wes was about to voice everything Blaine was feeling. But when Wes continued, his hopes were dashed. "We have an important job to do. Guarding the princes is a huge responsibility."

"Don't remind me," Blaine muttered.

"What was that, Blaine?"

"Nothing," he said quickly. He faked a yawn and ran a hand through his hair. "Like Wes said, looking after the princes is a pretty big responsibility. We should probably get some shut-eye."

Mumbles of agreement ran through the room. Candles were blown out and within a few minutes, the small room was filled with the sound of snoring.

* * *

The next morning, Blaine found himself roused by a maid. When she saw his eyes flutter open she moved onto the next bed until she had woken everyone. Once they were all sitting up, Jeff rubbing sleep out of his eyes and Nick muttering about how early it was, she cleared her throat.

"The king asked me to give you your orders for the day," she said. Blaine had to strain to hear her – her voice was very soft, very light. She had straight dark hair which reached down to her chest, looking very dark against the white bib of her uniform. She looked distinctly uncomfortable at being alone in a room with five men. He wanted to comfort her, but somehow he thought it wouldn't be the best idea.

Wes was oblivious to the maid's discomfort. "Why are you giving the orders?" he demanded, blunt and straight to the point as usual. "I assumed that the king himself would–"

"_Wes_," Blaine interrupted, noticing the way the maid clenched her shoulders. He smiled comfortingly at her, and then, in the voice that he usually reserved for dealing with small children, asked her what her name was.

"Tina," she said, although her eyes narrowed. "And I'll thank you not to treat me like an infant. I'm perfectly capable of speaking for myself."

"Of course," Blaine replied hastily. _You're welcome,_ his mind added silently.

Tina nodded primly at him and then cleared her throat again. "As I was saying," she said, her eyes flicking towards Wes. "The king asked me to give you your orders. He wants three of you to report to the throne room and the other two should go to the main gate. The guards stationed there will tell you what to do." She gave a little curtsy and then left the room.

The moment Tina had disappeared, Wes puffed out his chest. "Well," he said importantly. "I'll take the gate. David, you can join me. Blaine, Nick and Jeff, I'm sure you can handle the throne room alone. Can't you?"

A small part of Blaine wanted to challenge Wes – after all, he didn't hold rank over them here – but he knew that it would be easier to just go along with what he wanted. A quick glance at Nick and Jeff told him that they felt the same. Satisfied that nobody was going to argue with his orders, Wes began to get dressed.

He and David left first, leaving Blaine alone with Jeff and Nick. They speculated about their task for the day while they got dressed. With each garment that he pulled on, Blaine felt his nerves begin to grow again. Had Kurt told his parents how rude Blaine had been the day before? If he hadn't, was he planning to?

For what felt like the millionth time since his arrival at the castle, Blaine wished he was back at the campsite.

As they neared the throne room, his palms began to sweat. He felt his cheeks flush and looked down at the floor, praying that the blush would fade before they went inside. He paused at the imposing doors that led to the royal throne room and his friends looked back at him questioningly.

"Are you alright, Blaine?" Jeff asked. Blaine nodded quickly, suddenly very aware of the guards standing on either side of the door.

"I'm fine," he said. "Come on. We have work to do."

Before Jeff or Nick could ask any more questions, Blaine pushed forward and opened the doors. He strode ahead, hoping that his show of confidence was more convincing to Jeff and Nick than it was to himself.

"Gentlemen!"

The king smiled broadly at them from the other end of the room.

"I trust you slept well?" he said, his smile widening as they approached. They nodded respectfully and he clapped. "Good, good. Now, today is a very important day for my family. I don't know how much Miss Cohen-Chang told you about your duties for the day, so I'm going to go over everything, just to make sure things run smoothly."

Before he could continue, the doors swung open again and the queen walked in, followed by Finn and Kurt, who in turn were followed by a number of guards. Blaine, Nick and Jeff immediately dropped into respectful bows. Once the guards had been dismissed, the king picked up where he had left off, but Blaine's attention was elsewhere.

Kurt looked calmer than he had yesterday, but there was still a distinct downward tug at his lips. He stood with his arms folded, his eyebrows knitted together. He and Finn were both dressed in the royal colours – Kurt wore a pale blue tunic, trimmed with silver, and tight cream pants, while Finn was dressed in a blue shirt and charcoal pants. Once again, Blaine noticed how uncomfortable Finn looked.

"Do you think you can do that, gentlemen?"

Blaine was pulled back to reality by the king's voice and he stared at him blankly for a moment. _What did he say?_ he wondered frantically. _What is it that he wants me to do?"_

"Yes, your Majesty," Nick and Jeff replied quietly. Blaine hurried to do the same, although he still wasn't entirely sure what they were agreeing to do. King Burt smiled at them once more.

"Marvellous," he said. "You can take the boys to the parlour, then. Carole and I will be here if you need us. You're dismissed."

Nick and Jeff strode ahead. Blaine followed after a moment's pause, his heart picking up speed. He had no idea what he was supposed to be doing. He couldn't even ask Nick and Jeff – they were flanking Kurt and Finn, leaving Blaine to pick up the rear.

_This is a disaster,_ his inner voice hissed. _You always do this – daydreaming, getting distracted, and now look where it's got you. It's only your first day and you're already screwing things up. What if the king asked you to do a specific task? What if it's something dangerous? What if Finn or Kurt hurt themselves and—_

His internal monologue was cut short when Kurt fell into step with him.

"You look like you're about to throw up," the prince muttered.

"I do?" Blaine squeaked. He swallowed. "Um. I mean. I'm fine, thank you, Prince Kurt. Just thinking about the day ahead."

"I don't see why that should make _you_ look so nervous," Kurt replied. "You're not the one who's meeting their future wife today."

Blaine stumbled to a stop and looked at Kurt, wide-eyed. "Pardon?"

Kurt stared at him like he was a simpleton. "Weren't you listening to my father at all?" he said. When Blaine said nothing, he smirked. "Well. Shirking off your duties already, Sir Anderson. I think that may be a record."

Blaine felt yet another blush creep over his cheeks. "My apologies, I—"

"No need to apologise," Kurt said breezily. "It's not my orders you aren't taking seriously."

"I—"

"No, really, it's alright," Kurt insisted. "Since you weren't tuned in for the announcement, I suppose I'll have to tell you. My father has arranged for Finn and I to meet with some girls today. And by 'some girls', I mean the girls that he approves of. By the end of the day, I'll be betrothed to someone." His voice took on a flat tone. Blaine got the distinct impression that Kurt was unhappy about the situation.

"I—well, I suppose congratulations are in order," Blaine said, although he couldn't deny that he felt sorry for Kurt. He couldn't imagine finding himself engaged to some girl that he had never met before.

"Yes, well," Kurt said, shrugging his shoulders. "Thank you."

They had caught up with Nick, Jeff and Finn at the parlour. Nick glanced from Finn to Kurt with a smile. "Are you ready?"

Finn said nothing. Kurt glanced at Blaine and sighed.

"Well, I suppose it's now or never."

* * *

_Everybody who reviews gets a free Blaine Anderson, neurotic inner monologue included ;) Hope you liked it!_


	3. Decisions

**Summary:** when Blaine agreed to act as the royal protector for the two princes of the Lima kingdom, he never thought that he would fall for one of his charges. Accompanied by his fellow soldiers Wes, David, Jeff and Nick, Blaine must navigate the tricky waters of loving a boy who can never be his and keeping him alive at the same time. Features Kurt/Blaine, Jeff/Nick and one-sided Sebastian/Blaine. Also betrothed!Finn/Rachel and betrothed!Kurt/Quinn.

**A/N:** hey everyone! First of all I want to apologise for taking so long to update, I've been studying for exams and this fic completely slipped my mind. I want to thank everybody who favourited and put Protector on story alert! I can't believe people actually _like_ my weird Klaine AU ramblings, but as long as you want to read it, I'll write it. I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint (especially the Kurt POV, because I was iffy on it!)

* * *

**Chapter Three: Decisions**

Kurt was the one who pushed open the door. There was almost something arrogant about the jut of his shoulders as he did so, like he was trying to convince him that he was perfectly okay with what was about to happen. He strode into the parlour ahead of Finn, Blaine and the other guards. They scrambled to follow him, Blaine nearly tripping over his own feet in the process. He came to a halt beside Kurt and sucked in a breath, looking at their surroundings with wide eyes.

The parlour was filled with girls, so many that Blaine couldn't count. There were girls who looked around the same age as Kurt and Finn and girls who looked old enough to be their mothers. There were sulky girls and eager girls and some who just looked plain terrified. Blaine couldn't imagine how they felt right now – standing here in the royal castle, under scrutiny from the future king and his stepbrother.

He wondered how the process worked. Would Kurt and Finn just pick the girl they found the most attractive? Or was there some sort of interview?

Nick nudged Blaine's side gently. "The other boys will be here soon," he whispered. "We should take up our positions."

Blaine blinked. _Other boys?_ his mind echoed questioningly. Nick noticed his confusion and heaved a sigh.

"Honestly, Blaine, do you ever listen?" he said exasperatedly. "The king arranged for the sons of some of the nobles to join Kurt and Finn and make the day a little less awkward. It's going to be like any other dance, just a lot less formal. Our job is just to chaperone."

"Right," Blaine said. "I knew that."

"Sure you did," Jeff cut in. "They're here, by the way." He gestured to the doorway, through which a group of smartly dressed young men were approaching.

After that, things moved very quickly. Blaine, Jeff and Nick spread themselves throughout the parlour where they could keep an eye on things. Nick had given Blaine a broken down version of their duties – basically, all they had to do was make sure that things stayed polite and civilised and there was no inappropriate behaviour. Of course, they also had to make sure that nobody made a bolt for it, a task which made Blaine's stomach twist uncomfortably. It made them sound like jailors, rather than protectors.

Although he would have denied it if anyone had pointed it out to him, Blaine spent most of the day staring at Kurt as he moved through the crowd. There was no trace of the angry boy that he had met yesterday – this Kurt was perfectly charming, a sweet smile fixed on his face as he talked to the guests. The mask was almost flawless, but Blaine thought he saw it flicker every once in a while – like when one of the male guests brushed against Kurt's arm, or when Kurt's eyes met Blaine's across the head of a girl with inky black hair.

But apart from those brief, unsure moments, Kurt played his part perfectly. Blaine could see several girls swooning when he moved on from them. A small smile tugged at his lips.

"What's so funny?"

Blaine started. He had been so busy thinking about Kurt's effect on the girls that he hadn't noticed the prince approaching him. Blaine swallowed and straightened up, trying to look more official. It really wasn't very professional for him to be laughing on the job.

"Hey," Kurt tried again, touching his arm. "I asked you a question, Sir Anderson. What is it about this party that you find so amusing?"

"It's nothing, Prince Kurt," Blaine said, hoping that his voice sounded steadier to Kurt than it did to his own ears. "Shouldn't you be getting back to your—"

"Browsing?" Kurt interrupted. He cast a distasteful gaze around the parlour, although he was careful to smile when he caught the eyes of his guests. "I think it's all rather vulgar, don't you?"

"I'm not sure I understand what you're saying, Prince Kurt," Blaine replied, although he knew perfectly well what the prince meant – and what's more, he agreed wholeheartedly with him. Bringing a group of young girls into the castle and then forcing Kurt and Finn to choose from them left a bad taste in Blaine's mouth.

"Oh, I think you understand exactly what I'm saying, Sir Anderson," Kurt said, "but I won't force you to say so. My father certainly wouldn't approve if he heard, anyway."

There was a beat of silence, but Kurt didn't seem to be in any hurry to return to the festivities. Instead, he gazed around the parlour, his eyes lingering on Finn, who was deep in conversation with a short brunette girl. Blaine tried to focus on the task at hand, but he couldn't help being aware of Kurt standing right next to him. When it became clear that Kurt wasn't eager to return to his guests, Blaine cleared his throat.

"So what happens after this?" he asked. "You're engaged and that's it?"

Kurt gave him a sidelong glance. He waited a long time before replying, so long that Blaine's palms began to sweat and his heartbeat quickened. He had always hated silences. "Not exactly," the prince said. "This is technically a casual gathering, just a way for Finn and me to meet eligible brides. The idea is for us to meet a girl that we like and then afterwards, my father will make a formal request of marriage."

"And then?"

"If they say yes – and they always say yes – then we hold a formal ball in the castle to announce the engagement," Kurt continued. "Then we can marry whenever we want – unless, of course, my father were to die. In that case, the wedding would be pushed forward and I would inherit the throne."

"And what about Finn?" Blaine asked, unable to help himself. Kurt looked at him sharply and Blaine felt his cheeks flush red. "My apologies, Prince Kurt. I just wondered why he was being included, since he isn't royal by birth."

"His mother requested it," Kurt said dismissively. "He's having a hard time adjusting to life here with me and my father. She thinks that including him in royal traditions like this will make him feel like part of the family. Of course, he isn't eligible to become king."

He looked like he was about to say more, but he was interrupted by the arrival of a blonde girl in a stunning blue dress who asked him to dance. Blaine watched them disappear into the crowd, his head swimming with new information. It was strange to think that the boy in the pale blue tunic could be engaged by nightfall. It was stranger still to think that someday, he would rule over the kingdom.

The party stretched on for hours. By the time the last guests had left the castle, Blaine was exhausted. It turned out that standing guard over a group of teenagers was a lot more difficult than it sounded. They hadn't even been allowed to take a break for dinner. His stomach growled as he, Nick and Jeff made their way back to the bedroom that they shared with Wes and David. When they entered the little room, they found their fellow men fast asleep, their snores bouncing off of the walls. Jeff let out a soft moan.

"Do you hear that?" he hissed pitifully. "Those are the snores of well-fed men! Think of the feast they had while we were chaperoning a group of hormone-crazed—" He was cut off by a knock on the door.

Tina, the maid that had woken them that morning eased open the door, her arms laden with platters of food. Blaine hurried to her aid and she whispered thanks as he rescued a goblet of wine from falling to the floor.

"The king apologises for keeping you from dinner," she said quietly, giving a quick curtsy. "He asked me to bring you these and thank you for your hard work today. He said that it was a very successful day."

_It was_? Blaine thought wonderingly. _Does that mean that Kurt picked someone? Has the king already sent the marriage request? Maybe it's the dark haired girl he was talking to at the start of the evening... or the blonde in the blue dress, she definitely seemed like she liked him..._

He snapped out of his inner reverie just in time to hear Tina tell them that they were to assemble in the throne room at seven a.m. the following morning. As soon as she left, they tore into the food like they hadn't eaten in weeks. By the time the platters were cleared, exhaustion had crept up on them, and they retreated to their beds without another word.

* * *

After the girls left the castle, Kurt and Finn made their way to their parents' private chambers to give their verdict. Privately, Kurt thought it could have waited until morning – it was late, and he needed to get started on his moisturising routine before bed – but his father had insisted on hearing the "good news" right away.

Finn was unusually talkative as they walked through the castle. He was waxing lyrical about some girl that he had met at the party, Rebecca or Renee or Rachel, something beginning with R. According to Finn, she was perfect. She was the orphaned daughter of one of the ladies-in-waiting and had been raised by her two uncles – though Kurt was fairly certain that was a lie to cover up the fact that she had two fathers.

He was happy that Finn had found a girl he liked, even if his ear was beginning to hurt from Finn's blabbering. Kurt had been worried that Carole's attempt to push Finn into royal life would be harmful rather than helpful, but luckily, he had been wrong.

Kurt, on the other hand, hadn't found anyone who jumped out at him as a potential bride. He had known that he wouldn't, but it was still disappointing to be faced with the reality of the situation. The girls at the party had been perfectly nice. They had been pleasant and polite, and he was sure that some of them were considered highly desirable. The problem was that he didn't see them that way. When he was supposed to be searching for a future wife, Kurt had found his gaze pulled to the male guests, to the guards chaperoning the festivities – and more often than not, to Sir Anderson, whose dark curls and liquid honey eyes had started to haunt Kurt's thoughts.

But he couldn't return to his parents and tell them he wanted to propose to one of his _male_ bodyguards. It was unthinkable. If the king and queen even suspected what Kurt truly wanted, he would lose his rights to the throne. He might even find himself exiled from his own kingdom.

He had to make a decision. But how was he supposed to choose the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with when he didn't want to spend his life with a woman at all?

Finn was still talking about his dream girl when they reached the huge oak door that led to their parents' chambers. Nodding and smiling mechanically, Kurt knocked twice and then pushed open the door.

Burt and Carole were standing in the middle of the room with hopeful, expectant grins.

"Good evening, boys," Carole said warmly, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "Did you have a good day today?"

"It was amazing, Mom," Finn burst out. "I met this girl – she's amazing, she's beautiful and her name is Rachel and—" Kurt allowed him to take the lead. He was in no hurry to sign his own death warrant.

By the time Finn had finished telling them all about Rachel, Carole was beaming. "Oh honey, I'm so happy," she said, reaching out to envelop her son in a hug. "I'm so happy that you met someone you liked."

"That's great news, Finn," Burt said gruffly, clapping his stepson on the shoulder. "And you're sure that this Rachel Berry is the girl that you want?"

"I'm sure, sir," Finn replied, his eyes shining.

"Well then," Burt said. "That settles that. I'll make a formal request for her hand tomorrow. I'm proud of you, son." He turned his gaze on Kurt, who was doing his best to look everywhere but at his parents. "And you, Kurt? Did you meet anyone?"

Kurt took a deep breath. _This is it,_ he thought. _Now or never._

"Well, there were so many lovely girls at the party," he said, fumbling while he mentally sorted through all the girls he had met that day. "And it's such a big decision..."

Burt eyed him. "Do you need more time?" he asked. Kurt's heart leapt. _Yes_, his brain shouted. _Yes, I need more time. I need a lifetime to resign myself to this decision._ But he saw the flicker of disappointment in his father's eyes and remembered the proud look on Burt's face when Finn told them of his decision.

He couldn't allow his father to be proud of Finn and disappointed in him. It simply wouldn't do.

"No, no," he said hastily. "I just want to be absolutely sure that I make the right decision. And... I think I have."

"Well?" Burt said, unable to hide his impatience.

Kurt took another deep breath. "Quinn," he said quickly. "Quinn Fabray."

Hers was the name that had stuck out in his mind. She was a sweet girl and a fantastic dancer. She hadn't simpered and smiled at him like the others had. They'd had an actual conversation – about fashion, no less, one of Kurt's greatest passions – and if he was into that sort of thing, he supposed that she was beautiful. Her hair was shiny and blonde and her eyes, if he remembered correctly, were an unusual shade of green. If nothing else, she would provide good genetics to pass onto their children.

An involuntary shudder ran through Kurt's body at the thought. He didn't want to think about how those children would come about.

"Fabray," Burt said musingly. "Quinn... the youngest daughter of Lord Russell and Lady Judy Fabray?"

"That's right," Kurt said. "That's the one. She's the one I choose."

* * *

_Hope you enjoyed it! :) Please leave a review!_


End file.
